Dealing with Bipolar Disorder Recovery

Dealing with bipolar disorder recovery can be a challenging proposition. However there are several strategies that have proven effective for many people. Several websites offer a variety of coping methods on the road to recovery.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance [DBSA] says, "Recovery happens when your illness stops getting in the way of your life. You decide what recovery means to you." Deciding what behaviors and achievements are important to you is the first step towards recovery.

Setting goals can help you in the recovery process. These can be small in nature at first and, as you begin to show progress, you can move onto bigger and bigger goals. If you have a tendency to be lethargic when you're in a depressive cycle a task as simple as bathing/showering every day can be a small goal. Not allowing yourself to sleep more than seven to eight hours can be another appropriate small goal. Accomplishing one household task a day is a good goal. Do dishes one day and one load of laundry the next, then move onto picking up clutter in one room.

Larger goals, after appropriate recovery, might be to obtain training for a job you enjoy or actually being employed at a job you are already qualified for. You can start to rebuild a relationship with a friend or family member you may have alienated while being untreated.

The National Institutes of Mental Health [NIMH] has two important suggestions to assist you in your recovery from bipolar disorder. Keeping a journal or chart of your moods can help you recognize the cycles of your moods. I simply make a short notation in my date book as to whether I'm mildly depressed, depressed, manic, mildly manic, or in a mixed state on any given day. I also note the days I am especially irritable. NIMH also states one of the most important tasks of recovery is to maintain consistent treatment. If you stop your medications because you are feeling better, it is impossible to recover successfully.

Establishing a beneficial relationship with a good therapist can greatly improve your likelihood of a successful recovery. Your therapist can help you develop effective methods of coping with disturbing thoughts and unwise behaviors such as drug or alcohol abuse or spending sprees. Sharing your mood chart/diary with your therapists can enable them to assess how successful your treatment is and to make suggestions for changing in your recovery plan as necessary.

Healthy Place notes many people with bipolar disorder may "self medicate" with different food, caffeine, alcohol or substance abuse. Sometimes this behavior begins before a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder or if they have not yet found an effective medication or combination of medications. Therefore, it is important to control your intake of these chemicals.

Caffeine can negatively affect your irritability levels, making you more anxious or active when you're already in a manic phase. Be aware that caffeine is present in more than just coffee. It is also an ingredient in tea, sodas, chocolate [one of MY favorite things] and some over the counter pain relievers.

Alcohol and pot are central nervous system depressants, so if you're already in a depressed state, you run the risk of exacerbating your symptoms. If you are using them in an attempt to calm symptoms of a manic cycle, you can bring on a depressed cycle. Any overuse of prescribed medication is dangerous to your health and state of mind. Illegal substance use not only puts you at risk of arrest, it is not possible to determine the safety of these drugs and is possible to make your symptoms of bipolar disorder worse.

Establishing and maintaining regular sleep patterns is another effective way of dealing with recovery from bipolar disorder. Your sleep can be an indicator of oncoming mood cycle changes so a sleep diary, kept in conjunction with your mood diary, is helpful in this recovery step. Sleeping too much (more than eight hours) can be a sign of depression. A decreased need for sleep, especially if you have extra energy, can signal a manic episode.

The DBSA and Healthy Place both suggest healthy eating is beneficial to recovery from bipolar disorder. Nutritious food in a well balanced diet plan will give your body the fuel it needs to operate efficiently. Too much sugar can exacerbate manic symptoms by causing your metabolism to spike and then drop drastically. Caffeine has already been mentioned as a potential stumbling block to recovery. Eating meals at the same time every day helps you establish a schedule that can give structure to your life.

Knowing the difference between your symptoms and your actual self is a great step to recovery. Recognizing how your symptoms affect your thoughts and behavior can help you identify changes you want to make.

DBSA suggests educating your family and friends about your disorder and involving them in your therapy is another tool in recovering from bipolar disorder. The more they understand your disorder, the better equipped they are to cope with it and help you cope with it. They can give you "positive feedback" when they recognize healthy behavior changes. They can also add their observations about mood changes they notice so that you can discuss these changes with your doctor and/or therapist.

Healthy Place asserts exercise can raise levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in your brain that effects moods, especially depression levels. Establishing a regular exercise routine can help you lead a better planned life. Regular behaviors are essential in establishing stability in your life.

Triggers are "behaviors and outside events" that affect your moods. Recognizing them can give you more control of some and help you address ways of coping with the events that are beyond your control. Noting the events or behaviors in your mood diary that affect you negatively or positively will help you and your therapist change your reaction to these triggers.

There will be some days when dealing with recovery from bipolar disorder that are easier than others. Some days you will have successes. Other days you may not make progress. The important thing is to stick with your treatments every day. By establishing healthy patterns, you will be able to stabilize your moods or at the least mitigate the negative impact bipolar disorder has on your life.